Okay. So, I wrote this one, and then wrote another elaborate version. Both are posted.

I always thought Anthony and Ben were close... And note, that Anthony is older than Ben by four years, in my mind. So in this fic, Ben would be ten. If Anthony were eighteen, Ben would be fourteen.

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Breathe Again (Anthony Carmine - 14 yrs.)

Once, when Anthony was fourteen, he'd almost gotten Ben killed. Ben was ten and was at that age where he'd follow Anthony everywhere. As the older brother, Anthony was fed up, so he'd taken a walk to dangerous downtown Jacinto. Ben had protested but came along anyway.

But then the ground rumbled and Locust rose out of the ground. Anthony sprinted in the opposite direction as a building fell.

...where was Ben?

Anthony's breath caught in panic.

Ben popped out of a rubble pile, coughing. The Locust had disappeared.

Anthony hugged Ben tight, muttering feverent apologies.

He could breathe again.

———

(This is the more elaborate version. It begins with Anthony taking refuge from the Locust.)

Anthony's back was pressed again the side of a building and his breath came in shallow, panicked gasps. He could hear buildings toppling over and Locust shouting at each other. He reached over and felt for Ben, but all his hand grasped was air.

He peeked out from behind the building to see that the Locust had disappeared just as quickly as they had arrived. There was no sign of his ten year old brother.

Anthony's heart stopped and his lungs shriveled.

He'd lost Ben. He'd run off and left a ten year old boy to fend for himself against Locust.

He stepped out from behind his building and started walking towards the now closed Emergence Hole.

"Ben!" Anthony cupped his hands around his mouth, "Ben! Ben!" His voice echoed for a few moments and when silence settled, he listened for a response.

There was none.

Anthony had known downtown Jacinto had loose foundation. He'd known that it was dangerous and that was exactly why he'd taken a walk with Ben; to scare him out of coming along everywhere with him.

And now he'd gotten Ben hurt or killed...

Serious panic was starting to set in when he heard rock shift. At first, he thought it was a Locust that had decided to stick around until he heard "Anthony" in a small voice.

Anthony almost tripped over his own feet as he turned to see Ben squirming out of a pile or rubble with a large scratch on the side of his face.

Ben coughed and Anthony ran to him, squeezing him in a hug.

"I'm so sorry Ben, so sorry," Anthony murmured.

Ben returned the hug and Anthony wiped the blood off of his little brother's cheek. He stood up and took Ben's hand in his own. He hadn't done hat since Ben was six.

Anthony squeezed Ben's hand and began to walk home. As he looked at his younger brother's dust covered body, and the lightly oozing scratch on his cheek, Anthony's breath caught and his eyes watered.

Ben glanced up at him and wiped his cheek.

"I love you, Anthony."

Anthony swore he was going to cry.

God he was the world older brother ever.